Chapter 12
The One True Emperor
Aix-Clovin, ÃŽle-de-Clovis, Clovingian Empire
The air in the throne room of the Palais-Royal was so thick you could cut it with a knife and spread it on the morning toast. Ever since the Visitors from the Sky first made their appearance, the entire Capital had been on edge. There had been a few exchanges with emissaries of the Visitors from the Sky and now their leader was coming to make an appearance before the Emperor.
Clovis VIII, the Sun Emperor, was decked out in the finest of his fineries. He eschewed the imperial crown as it would have left his tall full-bottomed wig misshapen, and that would not do at all. The fine golden locks of the wig made for the comeliest crown a man could ask for.
Emperor Clovis prided himself in his sense of fashion and how he set the trends for the Imperial Court and beyond. His officials and courtiers patterned themselves after him with the due humility of arraying themselves in a few degrees of lesser grandeur. lest they be mistaken for presuming to outshine the Sun. The sole exception was the Archicomte de Montague, who insisted on dressing like a beggar, but at least he had the decency to stay out of view most times.
The Emperor rested his chin on his hand as he looked on in amusement at the Grand Chancellor standing ramrod-straight. He had always been a stiff sort of person but never quite so bad as this. Perhaps he more than the Emperor had the proper appreciation for the gravity of the situation.
The doors opened and the Grand Master of Ceremonies announced the new arrival.
"Presenting Konteradmiral Baron Nuresseif Beck, commander of the 267th Expeditionary Fleet of the His Imperial Majesty's Navy."
There was all manner of wild rumors floating about ever since the Visitors from the Sky first appeared, some of which even reached the Emperor's ears. In light of such rumors, it was surprising to see people who, on the surface at least, did not look so different from any other. In fact, just by looking at their uniforms, if you had not been told otherwise, you might have mistaken them for Hessians.
This Admiral Beck did not look so imposing, but he carried himself with an ease unlike any other who had set foot in the Imperial Court. While those accompanying the Admiral halted a respectable distance from the throne, he continued to walk forward, to the point where the Emperor's bodyguards crossed their spears to bar the way lest he come any closer. The Emperor thought he could hear the Grand Chancellor grinding his teeth at the gross breach of protocol.
The Admiral looked up to the Emperor with his sleepy eyes and greeted him simply, saying only, "Your Highness."
"You will address His Imperial Majesty as such," the Grand Chancellor insisted.
"I would ask your pardon what must seem to be rudeness," the Admiral replied, "but there is only one Imperial Majesty I recognize."
The Grand Chancellor had restrained himself to that point, but he was never a man of much tolerance and his limited patience had already run out.
"Do you think you can come here and insult His Imperial Majesty!?" he seethed. "Emissary or no, your head will roll!"
The Grand Chancellor's fulminations carried all the terror of a lap dog's yapping. The Admiral looked to the Emperor and told him, "Your Highness, if you have any real authority here, I advise you to rein in your chancellor. A word from me and my warships will leave this city a molten ruin."
It was said so casually and that was the truly chilling thing, but the Grand Chancellor did not seem to appreciate this.
"You dare to threaten us!?"
"You were the first to communicate a threat, Chancellor," the Admiral replied. "I simply have the greater capacity to act on it."
Before the Grand Chancellor could escalate the conflict further, the Emperor took it upon himself to speak up.
"Surely the etiquette of the court can make allowances for some of the peculiar customs of our foreign guests."
As the Emperor would usually leave the Grand Chancellor to conduct audiences, any intervention on his part would be enough to give the Grand Chancellor pause. Although his words were mild, the Grand Chancellor was not fool enough to miss the reproach in those words.
Turning to the Emperor and bowing, the Grand Chancellor replied, "It is as Your Imperial Majesty says..."
"You speak wisely, Your Highness," Admiral Beck said, "and you may yet be rewarded for that wisdom. This planet belongs to the Empire and it is my purpose to reassert that claim in His Imperial Majesty's name. However, there is no reason to entirely do away with the local authorities. The Emperor needs a viceroy to rule in his name. Perhaps you could be that person, Your Highness."
"This is a declaration of war!" the Grand Chancellor exclaimed.
"It is an offer of alliance," the Admiral corrected him. He then told the Emperor, "Renounce your title, swear fealty to the one true Emperor, and you will be permitted to style yourself Rex Bellatoris within the confines of this world. In the Empire at large, you will be recognized as a Count of the fifth degree."
The Grand Chancellor scoffed at the offer, saying, "Why should His Imperial Majesty debase himself to some foreign potentate?"
"Because it is not just any foreign potentate but rather the Father of All Humanity and the Lord of a Thousand Worlds," the Admiral replied. "Displease His Majesty the Emperor and incur his wrath and this entire planet could be burned to a cinder in an instant.
"However, the Emperor does not delight in burned worlds and neither do I. I will not burn a world for the sins of a single nation. There are other powers on this world. If you were to refuse this offer, I will approach another. Your nation has been uniquely blessed by being the first in line. It would be unfortunate if you threw away this opportunity for foolish, empty pride. Accept the proffered olive branch or face the flaming sword."
The Emperor lifted his hand to quiet the Grand Chancellor before he could speak. He clearly was not fit for handling the delicate diplomacy here.
Opting for a measured response, the Emperor said, "This is a weighty matter you set before us, Lord Admiral Beck. We must take counsel before a decision can be made."
"Of course," the Admiral said graciously. "I will see that copies of the draft treaty are translated and delivered for you and your advisors' perusal. You will be granted one week to reach your conclusion. In the meantime, my men will continue their survey of the area."
"Our lands are at your disposal," the Emperor said. "However, if you would grant us a means of coordinating your efforts, we can avoid any unfortunate misunderstandings from occurring."
Admiral Beck motioned to one of the officers in his entourage and said, "Kapitän Subedar here will act as my representative. I'm sure you will extend him and his staff the fullest measure of your hospitality."
"It would be our pleasure," the Emperor said, seeing the wisdom in being as cordial as possible.
"I look forward to a favorable reply," the Admiral said as he turned to leave, "and the day when I can embrace you as a fellow son of the Father of All Humanity."
"We pray that we are led to a wise decision."
The Admiral glanced at the assembled courtiers and said, "As should you. Until we meet again, Your Highness."
Emperor Clovis watched the Admiral walk away. Normally it would be unthinkable for someone seeking an audience with the Emperor to withdraw without being properly dismissed, but the Admiral was not one to bow to the Emperor's majesty. If the Sun Emperor himself could be seen as no more than a dying ember in the Lord Admiral's eye, how brightly must this one called the Father of All Humanity shine?